Rock Island kids to harvest fruits of their work at Augie Acres

This summer, Augie Acres, Augustana’s student-operated garden, and the Rock Island Hy-Vee grocery store developed a gardening and nutrition program for local children. The garden is part of Hy-Vee’s One Step program.

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Aledo Times Record - Aledo, IL

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Posted Jul. 15, 2014 at 2:06 PM

Posted Jul. 15, 2014 at 2:06 PM

This summer, Augie Acres, Augustana’s student-operated garden, and the Rock Island Hy-Vee grocery store developed a gardening and nutrition program for local children. The garden is part of Hy-Vee’s One Step program.

Augie Acres student interns have been hosting summer camps from Martin Luther King, Jr. Center and Broadway Presbyterian Church at the garden and at Hy-Vee. Augie Acres interns and Chrissy Watters, a nutritionist at Hy-Vee, taught valuable lessons including how to plant, grow and harvest food as well as the basics of food production and healthy nutrition.

On Wednesday, July 16 at 10 a.m. and Thursday, July 17 at 3:30 p.m., Rock Island elementary school children will have the opportunity to see their work pay off as they harvest the produce they planted earlier this summer at Augie Acres.

Augie Acres intern Christian Montbriand, an engineering physics and geography major from Bartlett, Illinois, said, “The program has been a great success in introducing children to urban gardening. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the kids and teaching them about where their food comes from.”

In addition to hosting camps, the Augie Acres interns keep busy over the summer selling produce at the weekly Freight House Farmers Market. Their booth can be found in the aisle nearest the railroad tracks.

Now beginning its sixth year at Augustana, Augie Acres continues to grow in popularity among students and the community.

For more information, please contact Sam Schlouch, director of public relations, at (309) 794-7833 or samschlouch@augustana.edu.

About Augustana:

Founded in 1860, Augustana College is a selective four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences. Augustana is recognized for the innovative program Augie Choice, which provides each student up to $2,000 to pursue a high-impact learning experience such as study abroad, an internship or research with a professor. Current students and alumni include 153 Academic All-Americans, a Nobel laureate, 13 college presidents and other distinguished leaders. The college enrolls 2,500 students and is located along one of the world’s most important waterways, the Mississippi River, in a community that reflects the diversity of the United States.